Electrically-operated hair-curling machine



Sept. 11, 1928.

' C. FAYER ELECTRICALLY OPERATED HAIR CURLING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 23, 1926 INVENTOR buyer BY [4/ ATTORNEY Sept. 11, 1928. 1,683,717

C. FAYER ELECTRICALLY OPERATED HAIR CURLING MACHINE Filed Nov. 25, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 [arlci R Wm M ATTORN EY latented Sept; 11, 1928 7 UNITED STATES CHARLES BAY R, or FLUSHING, new Yon-K, Assmuon' TO WAPPLER ELECTRIC COMPANY, Inc, A CORFORATION on NEW YORK. I

ELEGTRICALLY-OPERATED Application filed November as, 1926.

lily invention relates to electrically operated hair curling machines, of a type suitable for use in permanently waving and curling the human hair, my special purpose being to produce a machine for operating a large number of individual curlers heated separately and by means of currents of very low voltage and each curler being thoroughly grounded, so as to completely eliminate, or at least reduce to a minimum, the chances for shocks, burns, or other injuries incidental to the use of my machine, or to the hair curlers controlled thereby. I also seek to give my machine such construction, and to so arrange and adapt its various parts as to accomplish a number of distinct advantages, among them being the following I. To employ a large distributing head, preferably suspended overhead after the manner of a chandelier, and so arranged that within reasonable limits any desired. number of curlers can be connected with it and detached from it independently of each other, by means of plug connections or the like, each individual curler and the conducting cord foifeuei'giziiig it being held captive by and supported from the distributing head, even when electrically disconnected therefrom. v a

H. To arrange the various individual curlers and their immediate connections in a number of distinct groups, the curlers of each group being'adapted for conjointuse as for instance in curling the same head ofhair, so that all orany desired number of the curlers of each group maybe used simultaneously, the othercurlers of the same group being rendered idle.

IIILTO bring the respective groups of hair curlers under control of a number of separate hand switches, each switch controlling one group, so that the operator, by throwing a particular switch, can [bring some one of the groups into action, practically as a unit. 7 IV. To provide the several groups of curlc'rs with visual signalling'members, or equivalent indicating devices,one for each group, so as'to enal'ile the operator to readily asce r tain, preferably by a glance at the distributing head, whether or not a particular group i of the hair curlers isin action, or idle.

HAIR-CURLING MACHINE.

Serial N5. 150,184. V

V. To provide each individual curler and VII. To simplifythe mechanism of the:

distributor and to so connectthe various mechanical and electrical parts thereof as to enable the same to be inspected, removed and replaced with. a minimum oftime and labor; and to conceal someof said parts as far; as practicable, in instances where they would otherwise be unsightly.

Other objects of my invention are brought out below, in connection with the description of the various electrical and mechanical parts and their various combinations.

Reference is made to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification,

and in which like reference characters indicatelike parts throughout the several fig- V Figure l is a fragmentary elevation of my-device; i r 1 Figure 2 is a fragmentary section on" the line 2-2 of Figure l looking'in the direction indicated by the arrows,certain parts being shown diagrammatically, Figure 3 is a fragmentary section indicating'the manner in which certain parts are supported upon a center post. r

Figure a is a Vertical section" through one of the counter weights and parts immediately associated therewith V Figure 5 is a fragmentary elevation of one of the hair curlers, and indicates the manner in which itis suspended, 7 v

Figure 61s a section" on the line 6-6 of Figure1,'looking in'the directionindicated by the arrows, and showing the structure of one of the conducting cordsv used forenergizingthe hair curlers.

a A step-down transformer '6 is provided with a primary winding 7 and a secondary winding 8, as indicated diagrammatically in Figure 2. The primary winding 7 is con nected with alternating current leads 9 and 10, in the usual manner.

The primary winding 7 is energized by alternating currents of the kind ordinarily employed in houses for the purpose of light ing lamps or driving machinery. The currents generated within winding 8 are of very low tension, preferably not more. than ten or twelve volts, or even less- One end of the secondary winding 8 is grounded by connecting it with a wire 11, leading to the ground at 12.

Connected with the grounded end of the secondary winding 8 is a conducting cable 14, and connected with the opposite end of the secondary winding 8, and thus ungrounded, is a conducting cable 15. The cables 14 and 15, roperly insulated, are for convenience unite into a twin conductor 13, preferably of considerable size. I

The grounded cable 14 leads to a metallic distributing disk, shown more particularly in Figures 2' and 3. Below the distributing disk 16 is another distributing disk 17, and between these two disks is an insulator 18 having an annular form, as indicated more particularly in Figure 3.

The insulator 18 encircles a center post 19, and spaces the distributing disks 16 and 17 apart, so as to maintain them parallel with each other. i

The center post 19 depends from a ceiling piece 20, secured against the under side of .a ceiling 21, as indicated in Figure l.

Mounted upon the center postl9 is a supporting bracket 22, used for supporting the cable13, as indicated in Figure 1.

The center post 19 is at its'lower end provided with a head 23, and resting upon this head isa base late 24, locatedalittle "below the distributing disks 16 and 17.

Carried by the base plate 24 is an annular wall 25, and mounted upon this'wall is a top plate 26.

.The base plate 24, the annular wall 25 and the top plate 26, together constitutes a box-like structure for holding a number of other parts,'and which I designate generally as a distributing head.

Mounted upon the base plate 24 are a num- 'ber of tubular posts 27, each provided .at

its lower end with a threaded portion '28 which extends through a hole in the base plate 24, as indicated at the bottom of Fig ure. 4. The threadedportion 28 carries two nuts. 29 whereby the tubular post is secured firmly upon the base plate.

Each tubular post 27' carries at its upper end a bracket 30, and journaljl'ed, upon this bracket is a pulley 31. A, tender 32 is sup ported by all of the tubular posts 27, and serves to conceal as well as to protect the the secondary pulley 31 and down through the tubular'post' 27, as shown in Figure 4.

Each supporting cord 34 carries at its lower end a clip 35, used as hereinafter de-- scribed to support a conducting cord through which a hair curler is energized. The function of the supporting cord 34 is purely ineclianical, its chief purpose being to connect the counterpoise with certain parts to be balanced thereby.

A few hair curlers are shown at 36, and in this instanceare a l alike. I will not dedescribe the structure of these curlers in detail, as it constitutes no part of my invention here under discussion.

Each hair curler 36 carries a heating coil 37, connected with and energized by a cord conductor 38. p

Each cord conductor 38 is connected with a plug 89, and by means of this plug 39 the cord conductor'may be readily connected with and disconnected from some one of a number of contact sockets 40. V

I do not deem it necessary to describe the plugs 39 and sockets 40, further than to say that they are ofthe type conventionally used in many arts for making and breaking electrical connect-ions more or less analogous to the ones here contemplated. 1

In the particular mechanism here illustrated. provision is made for supplying low tension currents to forty-eight hair curlers, arranged in eight groups, of six curlers each. Various other parts, each associated with a single curler, are likewise arranged into eight groups, of six each. For instance,

forty-eight tubular posts 27, and forty-eight cord conductors 38, all arranged in groups of six, and coacting with the hair curlers, similarly grouped as above described.

Mounted upon the annular wall 25' are a number of pilot lamps 41 and a number of hand switches 42, there being one pilot lamp and one switch for each group of, the. hair curlers' and parts immediately associated t ierewith; This means, of cour.se,.that for the forty-ei ht hair curlers and forty-eight ccrd'conductors' for energizing'the same, there are' eight pilot lamps andeight hand switches. Each hand switchcontrols a group of hair curlers, and each pilot lamp 41 indicates lroin'time to time the condition of that group, the various groups being in great measure independent of each other.

Mounted upon the distributing disk 16 are a number of safety fuses 45, one for each group of hair curlers. Each fuse 45 is connected with the disk 16 by a wire 44. From each fuse 45 a wire 46 leads to the hand switch 42 associated with the same group of hair curlers. From the hand switch a wire 47 leads to the pilot lamp 41 of the same group. From this pilot lamp a wire 48 leads to the distributing disk 17, and is connected with a number of sockets 40, above described. From the lamp 41 another wire 48 leads 'to the sockets 40, so that the sockets are connected in parallel with each other, after the manner in which incandescent lamps are usually connected. Thus for each group of six hair curlers there are provided six sockets 40 and six plugs 39.

My purpose in grounding one end of the secondary winding 8,as above describechis to avoid the possibility of developing high potentials in any part or parts of my mechanism. Thus not only do I ground the cable 14, but I carry the same general idea still further and practically ground the me tallic body portion of each hair curler 36 and also practically ground the outer or exposed metallic portion of the cord conductor 38, as I will now describe.

Referring more particularly to Figure 6, it will be noted that the cord conductor 38 is provided with an outer sheath 50, within which is an insulating member 51 of tubular form, and within this insulating member is a metallic conductor 52, preferably stranded. The outer sheath 50 is made of metal, preferable fine wire woven into cylindrical form and is connected directly with the outer or exposed body portion of the hair curler 36.

The cord conductor 38 is essentially a twin conductor, the two conducting members being those numbered 50 and 52, as may be understood from Figure 6. This cord conductor is so connected with the plug 39, and this plug is so co-related to itsmating socket 40, that when the plug is inserted into the socket the conductor 52 is brought into me tallic communication with the wire 46, which leads to the distributing disc 16, this wire and disc being ungrounded; the metallic sheath 50, however being brought into communication with the wire 48 which leads to the distributing disk 17, which grounded.

By this arrangement every exposed portion of the cord conductor 38 is necessarily grounded at all times, and it becomes impossible to develop at, any time during the operation of the machine, any substantial difference of potential between the earth on the one hand and the hair curlers 36 and their cord conductors 38, on the other.

It should be borne in mind that the grounding of the disc 17 through the cable 14 and ground wire 11, grounds every part connected immediately and directly with the disk 17 So long as the machine is idle and inactive,

' to employ only one group of curlers, but heis not limited to a single group, as hecan use two or more groups if he sees proper to do so. More than one operator can use the machine at the same time, each operator employing as many groups as he sees proper.

In fact, an operator canuse less than an entlregroup, or even can use a single curler or any number less than a group of six, as occasion may require.

To use a single group of six curlers, the operator prepares the curlers and places upon or within them the portions of hair to be curled. V i g The counterpois'es 33 serve to maintain the supporting cords 34 taut, so as'to sup port the outer-or free ends of the curlers 36, and thus to maintain substantially vertical the curlers in actual use. These preli'mi-' naries being arranged, the operator closes the switch of the particular group of hair curlers to be energized.

In thus closing theswitch the current is turned on, through the particular curlers of least of determining what particular group the group now in use, and the pilot lamp ion or groups of the hair curlers are for the time being in active use.

If the operator wishes to use less than a single group of the curlers, he pulls out enough of the plugs 39 to leave the required number he wis es to use, and thenhe closes the switch" of this particular group.

It will readily be seen, therefore, that my machine can be used with any desired number of hair curlers, from one to the maximum number for which the machine is built, in this instance, forty-eight.

Whenever the plugs 39 are pulled out in order to prevent the curlers from being onergized, the plugs are simply allowed to hang down idly, being supported by their respective supporting cords 34.

The safety fuses 45 are current operated, and adapted for currents of the amperage suitable for heating the hair curlers. safety fuse is provided for each of the above mentioned groups, of six hair curlers each. If for any reason the current through any particular group becomes too heavyduring the use of the apparatus, the safety fuse 45 of that particular group opens the circuit of that particular group alone.

One

I do not limit myself to the particular mechamsmshowm-as variations may be made therein Without departing from my invention, the scope of which is commensurate \vithmy claims.

Having thus described-my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is-as follows:

1. In a device of the character described the combination of a center post, means for suspending said center post, a base plate carried by said center post and having the proximate form of a disc, an annular wall carriedby a base plate and therewith forming a box like member, a pair of cistributing discs supported upon said center posts and insulated from each'oth r, said distributing discs being housed within id-box like member, and means for energizing said distributing discs.

2. A device of the character described coirprising a distributing head a plurality of: posts mounted meansfor energizing said electrically ener gized mechanism. 7 e

3. A device of the character described comprising a base'plate, means for supporting said base plate, a plurality of tubular,

posts carried by said baseplate, pulleys car ried by said tubular posts, a supporting cord extending through each of said tubular posts and the pulley carried thereby, a substantiallycylindrical Weight encircling each tubular post and supported by'the sup porting cord extending therethrough, and an electrically energized -mechanis1n connected Wch each supporting: cord and deonding thereiiroin, each electrically energized mechanism being "*lanced by one of said substantially cylind cal Weights.

hA device of the character described comprising a center post of substantially cylindrical form, an annular'meniber of insula g material encircling" said center post and supported thereby, a pair of distributing discs carried by said annular member otinsulating material and spaced apart, and'elec- CHARLES FAYER.

connections to said distributing discs, tor the purpose of encrgizlng the same. 

